Do Pilots Make Better CEOs?

CEOs who are also pilots may be more successful leaders. That’s the conclusion of a study by Matthew Cain, assistant professor of finance at Notre Dame, and Stephen McKeon, assistant professor of finance at the University of Oregon. According to their research, the urge to fly an airplane results from an inherited tendency towards risky behavior–a tendency that appears to produce more aggressive performance and success in the corporate world. Firms led by CEO pilots typically have more debt and greater stock volatility and engage in more mergers and acquisitions.

On the other hand, having a CEO who flies his or her own airplane is considered to be a little too risky by some corporate boards. This concern often leads to some sort of compromise, such as insisting that the chief executive always fly with a copilot or purchase “key person” insurance, which would compensate the firm for financial losses should its leader die while in office.

The still-unpublished “Cleared for Takeoff? CEO Personal Risk-Taking and Corporate Policies” is based on 18 years’ worth of information about 3,110 CEO pilots.

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“"I've got a list of corporations that have gotten out of their airplanes [because of criticism from politicians]. It is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. When you look at the time and cost savings; it does not make sense not to fly [privately]. You can't let public perception interfere with your business decision to fly. It either is a good business decision or it isn't."”